PHF re-elects controversial Khalid and Shahbaz president, secretary

LAHORE: Controversial officials Brig (r) Muhammad Khalid Sajjad Khokhar and former Olympian Shahbaz Ahmad Senior were unanimously re-elected as president and secretary general of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), respectively, for a term of four years after the elections of the national federation, which were held in Islamabad on Tuesday. Khawar Anwar Khawaja (Punjab), Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah (Sindh), Muhammad Saeed Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhawa) and Chaudhary Ismail Gujjar (Balochistan) were elected as vice-presidents while Muhammad Ikhlaq Usmani was elected as treasurer, all unopposed. The election process, without any opposition, took place smoothly as expected. Addressing a press conference, re-elected PHF president Khalid rejected the claim that the election process was dubious. “The elections were held according to the national federation’s rules,” he claimed. It is interesting to note that representatives of legitimate hockey associations from Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan, before the PHF’s elections, had denounced the mala-fide intentions and tactics of the national federation to bring their blue-eyed people in through bogus elections. They had also made public the unfair modus operandi of the PHF’s inter-club scrutiny, districts and provincial elections across the country.

It is pertinent to mention here that Khalid and Shahbaz were ‘handed over’ the reins of the PHF in 2015 after Pakistan failed to qualify for the Rio Olympics 2016. The PHF chief patron, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, wanted former Pakistan captain Akhtar Rasool, the then PHF chief, out of his sight for political reasons as well as for some ‘hatred’. And the Olympics failure gave a perfect opportunity not only to the chief executive of the country as well as to Khalid and Shahbaz to grab the lucrative posts. Khalid represented the Pakistan Army hockey team from 1973-84. However he was never able to represent the country. At present he is still working as Managing Director at the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC). Khalid wanted to become the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) president but when Salim Saifullah Khan took control of Pakistan tennis he turned his ‘interest’ towards Pakistan hockey. Khalid is a close relative of powerful Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal and forced his way into Pakistan hockey. Khalid started his efforts to become the PHF president the day he came to know the crisis in Pakistan hockey, and his efforts bore fruit. Such positions have always proved a magnet for cronies and junket-seekers.

Shahbaz and revolt of 1998: Shahbaz is considered to be among the best forwards in the history of field hockey. He played in three Olympic Games, winning a bronze medal in 1992. He is the only player in history of hockey to win two consecutive player of the tournament awards in the 1990 World Cup in Lahore and in the 1994 World Cup in Sydney. Despite his excellent services for the national game, Shahbaz, who works for Pakistan International Airlines, is not considered suitable for the coveted post by many. His “intriguing nature” and the revolt he led before the Atlanta Olympics is still fresh in the minds of hockey lovers. Before the Atlanta Olympics 1998, a revolt of such magnitude was unprecedented in the history of Pakistan hockey. Nothing positive or fruitful comes out when the persons at the helm have dubious and controversial backgrounds.

After being re-elected again yesterday, PHF chief Khalid jumped on the high horse as if he would make Pakistan rule the world again. The PHF president said that even though they didn’t manage to give extraordinary results in their first 30-month tenure “the signs are encouraging and the national hockey team is giving improved performances – just like we all witnessed at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 2018, where the Green Shirts remained undefeated.” He clarified that the Rs 05 million reward announced by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi during a recent ceremony is purely for players and not for the federation. “The players are showing resilience and the national federation will take every possible step to provide them the best facilities, jobs and international exposure,” Khalid boasted.

When asked about Pakistan Hockey League and when the proposed league will finally start, Khalid replied that the government had given the PHF its No-Objection Certificate, and that arrangements were almost completed. “However, due to the hectic international calendar, the league could not take place within 2018,” Khalid said while adding that not only would the PHL be staged soon, it would also be a permanent feature on the international roster. When asked about the targets set for their second tenure in light of the fact that the targets of their first were not fully accomplished, Khalid replied that his team did manage to accomplish some of their goals. “Like I said, we faced a lot of problems in the past and barely had any players. But now that we have appointed a foreign coach, he has managed to turn things around in the short time that he has been here for, and that too with almost the same players.” He said the PHF’s target was to win the Indonesia Asian Games 2018. “We are hoping to win a gold medal, which will not only boost the confidence of the players but also help Green Shirts directly qualify for the next Olympics.”

Khalid has no leadership qualities, vision, charisma, and the killer instinct that are hallmarks of a good administrator. Like many in this country, he is also obsessed with having two hats. How he will run and manage Pakistan hockey, again, while working as MD of the government’s corporation is anybody’s guess.